Color Montgomery County yellow

Sunday

In the scheme of things, it doesn’t matter much whether Montgomery County is a blue or red county.

That is just politics.

Montgomery County is becoming more and more of a yellow county, and that impacts the lives of all residents living in the county.

The Montgomery County planning commission, operating under a “seeing is believing” philosophy, this month released an updated colored 2010 existing land use map.

The map, which is an update of the 2005 map and other earlier maps, uses colors to reflect growth and development in the county.

Developed land has increased by about 85 percent since 1970, according to county senior planner Anne Leavitt-Gruberger.

In 1970, some 212,501 acres (68.2 percent) in the county were undeveloped while 99,256 acres (31.8 percent) were developed.

Last year, the county had about 128,177 acres (41.2 percent) of undeveloped land and 183,266 acres (58.8 percent) of developed acreage, said Leavitt-Gruberger. The undeveloped land includes about 28,000 acres of permanently preserved farmland or parkland preserved through the county’s agricultural preservation or open space programs.

“There is a lot more yellow when you compare the two maps,” she added.

The two shades of yellow on the map reflect traditional single family homes of normal and lower density. And, it is the yellow that stands out when reviewing the latest map that is current through 2010.

“There has been a lot of growth,” said Leavitt-Gruberger.

Single family homes of average density, such as developments on half-acre lots, occupied just 42,297 acres in 1970. Since that time there has been a 90 percent increase, with homes now sitting on about 80,345 acres.

When comparing maps from prior years, one can see the residential growth creeping out of the eastern section of the county and into the North Penn Area as well as flowing westward along the Rt. 422 corridor, said Leavitt-Gruberger.

In contrast, there were 144,443 acres of vacant land or farmland in the county in 1970. Today, there are just 49,617 acres.

Montgomery County updates its existing colored land use map every five years.

Margaret Gibbons: 610-279-6153; mgibbons@phillyburbs.com;

Twitter, @peggibbons

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